美國通 59 What’s Next for the Coronavirus?兩黨政府下的工作創造？音樂劇 (紐約不完全攻略手冊)。Trump Told Pence Certifying Election Would Be ‘Career Killer,’ Valet TestifiedWhat’s Next for the Coronavirus? 4則 Breaking news: Trump merger raises his wealth by billions；眾議院長通過避免政府癱瘓之法，引起共和黨內部反彈。美國國防部長的病情隱匿案/Catherine, Princess of Wales, Has Cancer

 

Trump Told Pence Certifying Election Would Be ‘Career Killer,’ Valet Testified

What’s Next for the Coronavirus?

Scientists studying the virus’s continuing evolution, and the body’s immune responses, hope to head off a resurgence and to better understand long Covid.

紐約不完全攻略手冊

二月份看戲筆記：百老匯音樂劇Merrily We Roll Along

看戲動機：如果沒有意外，這齣音樂劇應該會是今年東尼獎的大贏家。

很難想像這齣桑坦的不朽傑作，原版從1981年百老匯預演44場，開幕之後只演出16場就難堪地停演，一直到2023年才首次以重新製作再次登上百老匯的舞台。反而倫敦西區已經演過兩次了。

這次的製作由英國女演員Maria Friedman執導，找了三位實力派演員來演出：Hamilton裡面狂噴口水的國王Jonathan Groff（其實他當年的Spring Awakening也讓人印象深刻）、哈利波特男演員Daniel Radcliffe、還有曾經演過Wicked Elphaba的Lindsay Mendez來演出三個好朋友。

這齣劇不但音樂動聽，說故事的方式是以倒敘法不斷往過去演出。由後來分崩離析的友誼開場，一直演到當年年輕的時期，對未來充滿著未知希望的純真期待。年輕時期越是美好，已知結局的觀眾就有多揪心。

這齣音樂劇之前雖然沒有看過百老匯現場，但我們陰錯陽差看過西區製作的影片，已經可以排到我們的心目中的前五名。

* 沒有看到Lindsay

話說我們終於買了二月的票，因為聽到很多人都沒有看到Lindsay的演出，所以還在開演之前打電話給劇院兩次，獲得確認三人當天都會演出。豈知一入場拿到Playbill之後一查看死亡換角通知小紙條，才發現女主角當天是Understudy。跟劇院人員小抱怨，他們說劇院也是十分鐘前才會知道（我們完全不相信這種說法，因為準備換角通知的夾紙絕對需要更久的時間）

如果要當場換票改其他場也是可以，但要在樂隊演奏之前就要去換票。（我們當年也曾經遇過Chita Rivera當天沒上場，決定要換票之後再來，才看到她的演出。）但是我們買的位置太好了，怕之後無法買到這樣的位置，只好決定看了。

* 看戲的基本禮儀

在看戲的時候，還碰到前排年輕女孩拿出手機偷拍偷錄Daniel Radcliffe的演出，手機螢幕的光線影響到附近觀眾的看劇，離譜至極。中場休息時被我們還有附近的觀眾提出抗議，只好狼狽地離開座位，到第二場開始燈光熄滅後才敢回座。拜託請大家看劇時一定要當個有水準的觀眾，只有演員謝幕的時侯才能拿出手機拍照錄影，其他時間最好要開啟飛行模式，當個好觀眾。

我們極力推薦這齣桑坦的不朽作品給大家。”Merrily We Roll Along”，倫敦版的製作我們會放在留言板，絕對不可錯過！

From time to time a chart showing that virtually every new job in America over the past 35 years was created under a Democratic president goes viral. Defined narrowly the chart is accurate—but a closer look paints a different picture: https://econ.st/3PzZZT3

所有心情：

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BREAKING

Gunmen Open Fire at Arena Outside Moscow, Russian News Agencies Report

There are unconfirmed reports of dead and wounded after gunfire from several attackers. Videos show people wounded on the ground.

Greene Threatens to Oust Johnson Over Spending Bill

Marjorie Taylor Greene, the hard-right Georgia Republican, said Mike Johnson, the House speaker, had betrayed his G.O.P. colleagues.

4 MIN READ

The House passed a spending bill to try to avert a partial shutdown, setting off a Republican mutiny.

4 MIN READ

Pool photo by Chris Jackson

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Has Cancer

The princess, who has begun chemotherapy, made the announcement in a video message on Friday, and described the news as a “huge shock.”

Breaking news: Trump merger raises his wealth by billions

BREAKING NEWS

Doug Mills/The New York Times

Trump Gets Potential Financial Lifeline as Media Merger Is Approved

The merger of Donald Trump’s social media company with a cash-rich shell company raises his wealth by billions and provides him with a potential source of cash to pay his mounting legal bills.

Read more